Manually-operated machines for rolling cigarettes



Dec. 5, 1961 E. R. ARMELIN 3,011,498

MANUALLY-OPERATED MACHINES FOR ROLLING CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 7, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor flwni 120 a irked/0 M A Home y wvw. i w.....

3,01 1,498 Patented Dec. 5, 196 1 ice 3,011,498 MANUALLY-OPERATEDMACHINES FOR ROLLING CIGARETTES Edouard Roger Armelin, 7G CastlebarRoad, Ealing London W. 5, England Filed Dec. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 857,709 3Claims. (Cl. 131-37) This invention relates to manually operatedmachines for rolling cigarettes.

In the use of such machines a cigarette paper is drawn between an apronor a series of rollers and a column of tobacco confined by the apron orrollers so as to be wrapped about the column of tobacco, and moisture isapplied to an adhesive on the trailing edge of the paper (or an adhesiveis applied thereto), so as to cause adhesion of the trailing edge to theleading part of the paper that is already wrapped about the tobacco.Usually moisture is applied by licking the trailing edge of the paper.The object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette-rollingmachine with self-contained means for causing adhesion of the trailingedge of the cigarette paper.

The present invention consists in the combination with a manuallyoperated cigarette-rolling machine of a reservoir for liquid comprisingporous material, thereservoir being so movably mounted upon the machinethat the porous material may be contacted with the trailing edge of thecigarette paper, so as to apply liquid thereto, after the leadingportion thereof has been wrapped about the tobacco and before thetrailing edge is contacted with the leading portion.

The reservoir may comp-rise a thin generally rectangular casing having anarrow slot along one of its longer sides, the length of the slot beingsubstantially equal to the length of the cigarette paper. The slot maybe occupied by a porous wick, a felt or porous synthetic plasticmaterial for example, which may project slightly beyond the lipsbounding the slot, and may or may not completely fill the casing. Thereservoir may conveniently be pivoted about an axis parallel with butremote from the slotted side to end frame members of thecigarette-rolling machine, so that, when the reservoir is rotated aboutits axis, the wick in its orbit sweeps the trailing edge of a cigarettepaper already partly enwrapped about the tobacco in the machine.

The invention although not so restricted, is particularly applicable totwo particular kinds of cigarette-rolling machine. In one of these kindsthe rolling of the tobacco and the wrapping of the paper is effected bymeans of an apron loosely embracing a pair of rollers pivoted in endmembers of a frame, the cigarette paper entering between the nip of therollers. In the other kind, the rolling is effected by a series ofrollers, usually six, some of which, usually four, are pivoted in endmembers of a frame, and others of which, usually two, are similarlypivoted in end members of a cap or cover hinged to the frame, all therollers being geared to one another, when the cover is closed, so as torevolve in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed.

For the better understanding of the invention, the application of it tocigarette-rolling machines of the two kinds referred to will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of acigarette-rolling machine of the kindfirst referredto, provided with a reservoir according to the invention:

FIG. 2 is a transverse section of the machine shown in FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section of a machine of the second kind referred to equippedwith a reservoir according to the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view in the direction of the arrow V of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the machine to which the invention ishere shown as applied, comprises a frame consisting of end members 1 and2, located with respect to one another by means of spacing pillars. Tworollers 4 and 5 are mounted on trunnions in the end members 1 and 2 soas to be capable of being rotated about parallel axes. The trunnions ofthe roller 5, however, are movable in curved slots 6, so that the roller5 may be approached closely towards the roller 4, as shown in FIG. 2, ormay be retracted so that there is a substantial space between therollers 4 and 5.

The rollers 4'and 5 are embraced by a loose flexible apron 7.

In the normal use of a cigarette-rolling machine as so far describedwith reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, first, the rollers 4 and'5 areseparated as. much as possible by moving the roller 5 until itstrunnions rest in the outer ends of the slots 6. Then shredded tobaccois inserted into the loop of the apron 7 formed between the rollers 4and 5. The roller 5 is then approached towards the roller 4 to theposition shown in FIG. 2, then the rollers are rotated causing the apron7 to move and to roll the tobacco shreds into a column. Then the leadingedge of a cigarette paper 8 is inserted between the parts of the apronresting respectively on the peripheries of the rollers 4 and 5, whichare then further rotated to draw the cigarette paper into the nowconstricted loop formed by the apron-7 to wrap it about the tobacco. Atthis stage the trailing edge of the cigarette paper, which is usuallygummed, needs to bemoistened, and this has previously been done, as arule by licking it.

The present invention provides self-contained means for causing adhesionof the trailing edge of the cigarette paper. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and3, the end members 1 and 2 of the machine frame are extended somewhatperpendicularly to the axes of the rollers 4 and 5. Such extensions arepreferably integral with the end members 1 and 2 but they may beseparate 'parts attached to the end members. A thin, generallyrectangular casingis pivoted between the extensions of the end members 1and 2.

As shown, the end walls of the casing 9 are provided with trunnions 10and 11 that are-journalled in holes in the extensions of the framemembers 1 and 2. The overall length of the casing 9 is slightly lessthan the distance between the inner faces of the end members 1 and 2 sothat the casing 9 and its trunnions may move axially relatively to themachine frame. A handle 12 is rigidly fixed to the trunnion 10 wherebythe reservoir constituted by the rectangular casing 9 may be rotated.

The rectangular casing, 9 is provided at one of its longer sides with aslot or opening 26 which is filled by liquid transfer means in the formof, in the case shown, a porous wick, a felt or porous synthetic plasticmaterial for example, which may project slightly beyond the lips 30bounding the slot and may completely fill the casing, as shown, or mayonly partially fill the casing, leaving space for free liquid. The sideof the casing opposite to the slot may be channeled as shown in FIG. 2and may have one or more small apertures by which liquid mayconveniently be introduced to the reservoir so as to be absorbed by thewick 13. 7

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, preferably closure means in the form of acap or bar 15 extends between the end members 1 and 2, being, forexample, attached to one of the facing pillars 3. This closure means isso located as to be substantially tangent to the orbit of the wick 13,or equivalent, so that the wick, in its inoperative position, may abutagainst the closure means whereby evaporation of liquid contained in thereservoir is retarded. In this case, means, such as a recess in one ofthe machine frame and reservoir or handle thereof, and a boss on theother are preferably provided to retain the reservoir in the position inwhich the Wick 13 is covered by the closure means 15. Thus, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, a pin 16 projects from the handle 12 into a small hole inthe end member 1. The trunnion 11 extends well beyond the end member 2and is embraced by a compression spring 17 retained by a collar 18 or bya transverse pin, so as to urge the complete reservoir assembly to theleft in FIG. 3 thus to cause engagement of the pin 16 with the hole inthe end member 1.

In use, the reservoir constituted by the casing 9 and wick 13 is filledor saturated, usually with water, but, if desired, with scented liquid,or, in some case, with liquid gum. When the machine has been filled withtobacco and the cigarette paper 8 has been Wound in to the positionshown in FIG. 2 the handle 12 is rotated to cause the reservoir and wickto rotate in an anti-clockwise direction as indicated in FIG. 2, so thatthe wick wipes the trailing edge of the cigarette paper, while it issupported by the roller 4, and moistens it or applies adhesive to it.The handle 12 is then further rotated to restore the reservoir to theposition shown in FIG. 2, whereupon the pin 16 is engaged with the holein the end member 1 by the spring 17. Then the rollers 4' and S arefurther manually rotated to draw the cigarette paper 8 completelybetween them and Wrap it around the column of tobacco, the moistenedtrailing edge adhering to the leading end of the paper.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, .themachine to, which the moistening device is applied is of the kind secondreferred to. The machine frame comprises a lower portion in the endmembers of which four fluted rollers 20 are journalled and an upperportion or cap 21 hinged to the lower portion 19, in which two flutedrollers 20 are journalled. The general arrangement, as shown in FIG. 4is such that, when the cap 21 is closed upon the lower portion 19, theperipheries of the rollers are adjacent but do not actually touch. Theseveral rollers are provided with individual external pinions which donot mate with one another but mesh with a gear wheel 23 mounted upon aspindle that is journalled in the end member and carries an operatinghandle in the form of a knurled disc 24.

In the application of the invention for this kind of manual cigaretterolling machine, the end members of the cap 21 are provided withextensions 25 upon which is mounted a reservoir assembly comprising arectangular casing 9, wick 13, trunnions 1i and 11, handle 12, spring17, collar 18;, and pin 16, all precisely as described with reference toFIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In operation, a column of shredded tobacco is assembled between therollers 20, while the upper portion or cap 21 is opened. The cap 21 isthen closed to the position shown in FIG. 4. The knurled disc 24 is thenrotated manually to consolidate the tobacco and a cigarette paper 8 isintroduced through a small gap that is present between the edges of thelower portion 19 and cap 21 of the machine frame so that it entersbetween the rollers 20 and, as rotation of the knurled disc 24 proceeds,is enwrapped about the column of tobacco. Just before the trailing edgeof the cigarette paper 8 enters the small gap referred to and while itis supported by the edge of the cap 21, the handle 12 is rotated, so asto rotate the reservoir assembly anti-clockwise as shovm in FIG. 4, sothat the wick wipes and moistens the trailing edge of the cigarettepaper 8. The handle 12 is then further manually rotated to restore thereservoir assembly in the po- 4 sition shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Then theknurled disc 24 is further rotated until the cigarette paper 8 iscompletely wrapped about the tobacco and the trailing edge hasadhered'to the leading portion of the paper.

It will be appreciated that, while two particular constructionsembodying the invention have been specifically described with referenceto the accompanying drawings, many modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A manually-operated machine for rolling cigarettes comprising a framehaving two end members, wrapping means comprising a plurality of rollerspivotally mounted in said end members about substantially parallel axesfor wrapping a cigarette paper about a column of tobacco, a casingpivotally supported between said end members on an axis substantiallyparallel to, but separated from, the axes of said rollers, the saidcasing constituting a reservoir and having lips bounding a slotextending over its length parallel to and remote from its axis, porousmaterial occupying said slot and projecting beyond said lips, thepivotal axis of the said reservoir being so locatedin relation to theaxis of at least one of the said rollers that the orbit of the porousmaterial is closely adjacent the said one of said rollers and, when thereservoir is rotated, the porous material sweeps the trailing edge,while supported by said one of the rollers, of a cigarette paper ofwhich the leading portion is wrapped about tobacco contained within saidwrapping means, a closure means attached to the said two end members andso located between the said two end members as to be substantiallytangent to the orbit of the said porous material, so that the saidporous material in its inoperative position is covered by the closuremeans.

2. A manually-operated machine for rolling cigarettes according to claim1 and comprising detent means associ ated with said reservoir and saidend members for releasably locking said reservoir relatively to said endmembers in the said inoperative position.

3. A manually-operable cigarette rolling machine comprising spaced endmembers, means for compacting a mass of tobacco shreds into a column andwrapping a cigarette paper about the column, a generally rectangularreservoir for liquid of length less than the distance between said endmembers, having a slot in one of its longer sides and two coaxial shaftmeans having portions respectively protruding from the opposite ends ofsaid I reservoir through said end members for pivotally supporting saidreservoir between said end members, porous material in said slot,closure means extending between and fixed to said end members at such adistance from the axes of said shaft means as to cover said porousmaterial when said reservoir is so positioned about the axis of saidshaft means relatively to said frame that said slot is nearest saidclosure means, abutment means on the protruding portion of one of saidshaft means, a compression spring disposed between said abutment meansand the adjacent end member, a handle mounted on the protruding portionof the other of said shaft means, and co-opcrating male and femaledetent means on the opposed faces of said handle and the proximate endmember, said detent means being urged into engagement with one anotherby said spring when the porous material in said slot is covered by saidclosure means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS520,530 Lemaire May 29, 1894 710,699 Laughton Oct. 7, 1902 1,748,299Maynard Feb. 25, 1930 2,273,787 Phillips Feb. 17, 1942

